Rangers of the North

Northern Marches

Once fertile and well-settled by Arnorian knights, the Northern Marches (Dor Úvadan, S.: “No-man’s Land”) became a desolate grassland dotted with ruined towers and fields lying fallow. It is a hostile and unwelcoming landscape of stinging thistle heaths and dry, grassy prairie, a place of fallow fields where the rare stands of stunted fir and twisted pine offer no protection from either the wind, the weather or unfriendly eyes. It is as rough, bleak and cold a countryside as any adventurer could care to travel through. Packs of wolves and brigands make the Dor Úvadan their home; such inhabitants remain little troubled by the Orc-raids and sorties of Rangers that pass back and forth across the plains.

Description
These once formed a fertile, well-farmed region settled by Arnorian knights and gentry. Minas Eldanaryaron, its chief citadel, lay within sight of Angmar. All things changed with the arrival of the Witch-king and the endless years of war. In the years of the successor states, Arthedain possessed too few Men to hold the region, yet Angmar lacked the strength to conquer it.

Being the virtual doorstep of Angmar, it was also heavily traveled by the servants of the Witch-king. The remnants of half-buried and fortified Orc-steadings stand where once were the homesteads and farmhouses of Men. The Witch-king’s forces also built or repaired a series of watch towers and outposts in the No-man’s Lands. Most of these were manned by Orc-garrisons, with only the most vital points housing Men.